No Sir To No Sir

The Prime Minister is likely to buy a fight, in court if
necessary, if Government attempts to change the New Zealand
custom of knight's and dame's in the royal honours list.
John Howard reports.

The secretary of the human rights
group The Magna Carta Society, Maree Howard, has vowed a
fight to retain the titles of knight and dame as a New
Zealand custom since the founding of the country.

She says
the law was enacted by Parliament in 1988 which guaranteed
New Zealanders their free customs and that law can only be
changed by Parliament.

"Ms Clark may be able to make law
but she is not above the law. We claim the titles are
customary rights of all New Zealanders. They are part of our
citizenship," Mrs Howard said.

"I also dislike Ms Clark's
arrogance in bringing her personal views into the public
policy arena especially when the people have not been
consulted or a referenda on the issue has not been
mentioned." she said.

"The Magna Carta is the law of this
land as is the Bill of Rights 1688 from which Parliament
claims its powers. Do we see Ms Clark and her coalition
colleagues wanting to abolish their ancient Parliamentary
customs and privileges?"

"We don't see Ms Clark saying
those ancient laws which protect her privilege don't have a
role in modern society," Mrs Howard added.

"New Zealand
law in part grows from legislation dating back to the
thirteenth century especially in Magna Carta, the Petition
of Right, the Act of Settlement and the Habeus Corpus
Acts."

"These laws are a critical feature of our
constitutional principles and systems and they form part of
our living and practical law providing legal rules for our
governance and the relationship between individuals and the
state."

"Magna Carta, for instance, establishes the great
legal principle that no one is to be condemned without due
process of law."

Mrs Howard said, " The Prime Minister has
shown a woeful ignorance of the true meaning and intent of
knights and dames and why they were established centuries
ago."

"That modern politicians have controlled the system
and rewarded their mates with titles is not the fault of the
original meaning for them," she said.

"If Ms Clark wants a
fight over this she's going to get it," Mrs Howard said.

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